UAE strengthens anti-corruption laws

The UAE has announced penal code changes in a bit to strengthen anti-corruption legislation, it was announced on Wednesday.

The new legislation is broader in scope than previously and covers both foreign and domestic acts of bribery in the public and private sectors.

According to media reports, the amendments to the penal code – which take effect immediately – now also apply outside of the UAE’s borders to any person found to have committed bribery in cases in which the criminal or victim is UAE national or is employed in the UAE, or if the case involves public property.

“The court may, upon issuing a conviction for a crime or misdemeanour, confiscate the things and money seized as a result of the crime, or which have been used or intended to be used I the crime, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties,” the law reads.

Additionally, the law states that in cases in which the manufacture, use, possession, sale of offering of such things is considered a crime, the court has the ability to order their confiscation in all cases, even if such things are not owned by the convict,” the new penal code change states.

The revised penal code states that if items obtained through corruption cannot be seized, the court can impose fines equivalent to their value.

Pardons can be issued to offenders who inform authorities before the crime is detected, and offenders can be exempted from punishment if information leads to the arrest of other offenders.